INTRODUCTION
START with the Section that best meets your needs at this time, in any order you please. For inquiries about palliative health services and care, START by calling Bow Valley Home Care (A.K.A. Community Care; the names are used interchangeably) at 403-678-7200. For inquiries about education, or general information on palliative care, START by calling the Executive Director of the Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley at 403-707-7111.
❦ WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THIS GUIDE? If you, or someone you love of any age, have a terminal illness, you may find yourself navigating an entirely new world of specialists, referrals, test results, treatments, medications and difficult decisions. Being ill is hard enough, without having to learn the ins and outs of the health care system at the same time. The purpose of this guide is to help you plan in advance of a terminal illness, and to navigate the unsettled waters of hospice palliative care in a complex heath care system. We want you to know what help is available to you and that you are not alone. We recognize that many people in our rural Bow Valley Communities need information on hospice palliative care and how to access community and regional resources. This guide is an “inventory” of such resources in the Bow Valley. It has been prepared especially for you, your family and other loved ones using what we have learned from regular folks in our Bow Valley communities, health professionals and volunteers of the Palliative Care Society of the Bow Valley. There is a lot of information in this Guide. Focus on the Sections that are relevant to you, rather than reading all the Sections, one after the other. Other Sections can be read later. Please note: Stoney Nakoda First Nation peoples from the Morley Reserve may access the Bow Valley resourc- es included in the first eight Sections of this Guide. Otherwise, the local Town of Morley resources are identified on a table is Inventory of Hospice Palliative Resources, First Nations, Morley on page 61. ❦ WHO WILL USE THIS GUIDE? This guide is for those who want to plan their health care in advance and those who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, which may include: advanced cancer, heart disease, lung disease, kidney disease; and terminal neurological diagnoses such as Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS). Family members, friends, health care providers and others may also find it useful. ❦ HOW IS THIS GUIDE ORGANIZED? The model shown on the next page accurately defines the aspects that will be covered, when identifying hos- pice palliative care community resources in our communities. At the centre are the Patient and Family, who are affected by any, or all, of the issues shown. No subject stands alone; there is some overlap and cross referenc- ing to other Sections. The model’s intent is also to show holistic, or intimately connected, aspects of your care. It takes into account mental and social factors, and not just physical symptoms of your illness.
Specific web pages can be found in the Book of Links
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www.palliativecarebowvalley.com
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